US police find abandoned newborn girl inside plastic bag in Georgia; authorities name her 'Baby India'

Police in Georgia in the United States have released a poignant video of officers finding an abandoned newborn girl — now named 'India' — inside a plastic bag, as part of their efforts to find the child's mother. The video, recorded on an officer's body camera and was made public on Tuesday and shows sheriff's deputies in Cummings, Georgia district of the United States discovering the infant tied up in a bag and left by the roadside on the night of 6 June, AFP reported.

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office "is continuing to investigate and follow leads" regarding the baby, whom they have named India, said the department on Twitter. "By releasing the body cam footage from the discovery of Baby India we hope to receive credible information and find closure", added that India is "thriving."

In the video, a deputy can be heard reassuring the baby as he unwraps her from the plastic bag, saying, "Look at you, sweetheart! Oh, I'm so sorry... look how precious you are." He is then seen handing her to medical attendants, who perform first aid on the infant before wrapping her in a blanket.

Authorities have been on the lookout for the girl's mother since 6 June and took to Twitter to ask if anyone in the area knew "a female who was in late stages of pregnancy."

The video, however, sparked a massive emotional response online, with hundreds of users sharing the video along with the hashtag #BabyIndia to help find the girl's mother.

Many also took to Twitter to share information about "safe haven" laws, which allow women to leave unharmed infants at designated locations — such as police stations or hospitals — without prosecution, thereby making the children wards of the state, so as to prevent another infant getting abandoned. "Omg, the poor thing! Glad she is safe and doing well now," one tweet read.

Another woman tweeted that "broke out in tears" when she saw the video because it reminded her of her own infant granddaughter. "Just called Forsyth County Sheriff's office to find out that I was one of the thousands that have inquired about the adoption of #BabyIndia," another Twitter user wrote.

Some journalists also hailed the role of the neighbours who were the ones to call and inform cops after they heard the baby's cries in their backyard.

According to reports, the sheriffs have recently uploaded latest pictures of the infant as they continue to look out for the child's mother.

With inputs from AFP